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660 Series I Volume XL-I Serial 80 - Richmond, Petersburg Part I

Page 660 OPERATIONS IN SE. VA. AND N. C. Chapter LII.

The seven siege guns, &c., in Batteries 1 and 4 were moved by transportation light artillery teams and wagons, furnished by Colonel Piper, chief of artillery, Eighteenth Corps. The 13-inch mortar, which was served on a railroad truck car made so strongly as to resist the shock of firing, was drawn to City Point by a locomotive. The rest of the material was moved by the four artillery teams of Captain Korte and by a train furnished by General Ingalls, as follows: My regular train, 50 wagons, an extra train of 60 wagons, furnished for contingencies arising from the battle, upon my requisition on July 30, and an extra train of 60 wagons and 18-eight-mule teams furnished at 8.30 a.m. July 31, in response to a telegram of mine dated 1.35 a.m. of that date. Total, 170 wagons and 22 teams. The orders to move the material were received by me at 11.35 p.m. July 30. By the aide of the telegraph, matters were so well arranged that the trains began arriving at the depot at daylight of July 31, and continued to do as fast as they could be unloaded up to 2.30 a.m. of August 1, when the last was received. Total period, twenty-seven hours. The material was all brought in Government wagons, except the guns and the 10-inch mortars, the latter of which were loaded on mortar wagons. The rebels did not discover the movement, although many of the batteries were in the very front of our line. The aggregate weight transported was 225 tons. The material was shipped as fast as unloaded. By noon of August 1, thirty-six hours after the first telegram, everything was afloat. The labor at the depot was performed by two companies of Fourth New York Artillery and six companies of Thirty-seventh New Jersey Volunteers; the latter working two at a time, aided occasionally by the companies of First Connecticut Artillery, who had served and moved the batteries. Three wharves were used; at this date mere crib gang-ways. The very unusual promptness of this movement was due, first, to the facilities furnished by the telegraph; second, to the ample transportation furnished by General Ingalls; third, to the intelligence and energy of Captain (now Major) Brooker, First Connecticut Artillery, commanding the batteries on Fifth and Ninth Corps fronts; of Major Trumbull, First Connecticut Artillery, commanding batteries on Eighteenth Corps front; of Lieutenant-Colonel White, First Connecticut Artillery, acting inspector-general, and of the officers commanding the batteries. Everything was brought away-artillery, ammunition, implements, platforms, mantles; nothing was damaged or lost.

To Captain Hatfield, First Connecticut Artillery, my ordnance officer, the credit for the rapid loading of so much material on transports is due. I doubt if there is another regiment in service which could have accomplished the work so rapidly and well. Thus ended the first period of the siege. At this date I had thirty-three guns and mortars in position on the Bermuda Hundred lines and twenty-nine [in] front of Petersburg.

The following table exhibits the modifications which occurred during August, September, and October in both armies:

Commanding Locality

Date. Company. officer. Armament. and

remarks.

1864.

August I, 1st Lieutenant One 13-inch Stationed

5 Connecticut Jackson. mortar..... on

Artillery. railroad

near

Battery 3,

Petersburg

5 H, 1st Lieutenant Sawyer gun, Burst,

Connecticut Cashin..... caliber Battery

Artillery. 5.8-inch Sawyer.

9 ........... ........... Two 12- Sent to

pounder Battery

howitzers. Burpee.

F, 1st Captain Three 30- Transferre

Connecticut Dow........ pounder d to

Artillery. Parrotts. Battery 4,

Petersburg


Page 660 OPERATIONS IN SE. VA. AND N. C. Chapter LII.